title: Therapeutic effects of blood purification in treatment of fulminant hepatic failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effects of blood purification for treating fulminant hepatic failure (FHF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three severe FHF patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) above grade III were subjected to a combined blood purification treatment in addition to the comprehensive liver protection therapy. Patients underwent continuous hemofiltration on a daily basis during the daytime followed by sequential treatment with plasma exchange or hemodialysis every 2-3 days. The therapeutic effects of this treatment were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment with blood purification, restoration of consciousness (those who abandoned the treatment without restoration of consciousness were excluded) was achieved in 6 of 8 cases (75%) in acute liver failure (ALF) group, 3 of 3 cases (100%) in subacute liver failure (SALF) group, and 9 of 14 cases (64.29%) in acute/subacute on chronic liver failure (A/SCLF) group. Of all cases, 11 patients restored consciousness after 7 days in a coma. The rate of long-term survival (those who abandoned the treatment were excluded) was 3/7 (42.86%) for ALF group, 2/2 (100%) for SALF group, and 1/11 (9.09%) for A/SCLF group. The levels of hemoglobin and platelet in peripheral blood were significantly reduced after blood purification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of FHF patients with daily continuous hemofiltration during the daytime is effective in treating HE and in improving health status in the early stages of the disease. Long-term prognosis also benefits from this treatment. The rate of consciousness recovery and long-term survival is highest in SALF group followed by ALF group. This treatment is less effective in A/SCLF patients. It should be noted that blood purification procedure may cause damage to blood cells.
authors.affiliation: No. 5 People's Hospital of Wuxi, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yunchuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Daokun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yanqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kaihong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006440:Hemofiltration; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D011379:Prognosis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Blood purification; Hepatic encephalopathy; Liver failure; Therapy